Here’s a Pearce-Simpson Bearcat 23. This full-featured AM base station was popular in the mid-1970s. Note the unique 3-meter design and slide volume/squelch/SWR-CAL controls. Also featured a digital clock with alarm and separate lights for “on the air” (transmit) and modulation. There are 3 distinct versions of this radio: only the first version has slide pots. The ‘B’ version has regular knobs instead of the sliders. The ‘C’ version has only 2 meters. Also, the ‘A’ version has a black plastic face while the ‘B’ and ‘C’ use fake woodgrain. Pearce-Simpson CB radios were manufactured by the Gladding Corporation of Miami, Florida.
The Pearce Simpson Bearcat 23 series were all made in Japan by Uni Electronics Corp which in 1974 changed their name to the now famous, Uniden Corp. The Midland 13-877 from 1969, the Regency Formula 23 and a few Radios from Zodiac of Switzerland were all variations of that UT-69 (PC-69) chassis design. Much of Pearce Simpson’s CB and some of their marine radios were built by Uniden from 1969 until the mid 70’s. Many of Pearce Simpson’s Japanese built radios were also built by Kanda Tsushin Kogyo, Beltek, Cybernet and a few other Japan OEM’s. Uniden (Uni) was barely a blip on the radar in 1969 and many of their early 70’s radios had a “PASSED” quality inspection sticker on the back of the radio with the old “Uni” logo on it. The first Bearcat 23 is a beautiful radio with the cool early 70’s slide controls on the front.
Uniden Corp or Uni Electronics Corp built this radio for Pearce Simpson Gladding, The Midland 13-877 and the Regency Formula 23 both have a similar variation of UT-69 (PC-69) chassis that is used in the Bearcat 23.